Tiny House Designhttp://www.tinyhousedesign.com Design a More Self-Reliant & Resilient LifeTue, 03 Mar 2015 00:51:00 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1Subscribe with My Yahoo!Subscribe with NewsGatorSubscribe with My AOLSubscribe with BloglinesSubscribe with NetvibesSubscribe with GoogleSubscribe with PageflakesSubscribe with PlusmoSubscribe with The Free DictionarySubscribe with Bitty BrowserSubscribe with Live.comSubscribe with Excite MIXSubscribe with WebwagSubscribe with Podcast ReadySubscribe with WikioSubscribe with Daily RotationTiny Home Living Without Living in a Tiny Homehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TinyHouseDesign/~3/KWRIKrw0YBg/ http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/tiny-home-living-without-living-in-a-tiny-home/#commentsTue, 30 Dec 2014 15:05:42 +0000http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/?p=10690The following is a guest post by Tiffany Krezinski. Photo via Groovexi. For me and my family, living in a Tiny Home is a dream we&#8217;re still working toward. My husband and I have our plan laid out: when our kids go to college, we&#8217;re going to take the big leap. We knew, however, that... <a
class="more-link" href="http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/tiny-home-living-without-living-in-a-tiny-home/">Continue reading <span
class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>The following is a guest post by Tiffany Krezinski. Photo via Groovexi.

For me and my family, living in a Tiny Home is a dream we’re still working toward. My husband and I have our plan laid out: when our kids go to college, we’re going to take the big leap. We knew, however, that we couldn’t (and shouldn’t) wait until then to do everything all at once. So, we decided to take a few smaller steps and integrate the Tiny Home, downsized lifestyle in our humble-sized ranch.

Clothing & Clutter We (my former self included) underestimate how much room our clothes take up, from the seemingly-necessary closet space that hogs precious square footage to a backed-up laundry room. Society tries to teach us we need the newest, trendiest designer buys to exude individual style and success, but it’s just not true and I’ve come to realize I don’t value that idea.

Rather than starting with my closet, I started with my inbox. I realized I had set myself up for failure by being subscribed to the email lists of all my favorite stores. Last Chance for 50% Off? I must! This Just In: New Apparel. Let me look! In the case of enticing emails from my favorite brands, ignorance is bliss. With the help of this awesome tool, the unsubscribing job was done in no time. No more coming down with a case of FOMO (fear of missing out) every morning. Then, it was time to tackle what I already owned. After stumbling across Courtney Carver’s Project 333, I was both curious and inspired to take the challenge: dress with no more than 33 items (shoes and accessories included) for 3 months. I donated and sold whatever was left over. I now apply this thought process to everything I allow myself to own. If it’s not a favorite, it goes. I no longer save things for special occasions; everything I own is an everyday item. Sentimental memorabilia has surfaced from shoe boxes and replaced trendy decor. I know some Tiny Homers advocate against hanging onto memorabilia, but I’m compromising on that one for now.

Creative Design While I don’t live in a Tiny Home, I do live in a relatively small ranch. One of the elements of Tiny Homes that I couldn’t wait to steal was their knack for generating breathing room and light through innovative design. I’m lucky enough to have an experienced handyman in the family. The first project was installing floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, which aren’t just for books. Visible storage like this really helps when it comes to deciding what you should keep. We then knocked down the wall that separated our kitchen and living room to create more shared space. Last but not least, we demolished our garage (the place we hid stuff we couldn’t let go of) and replaced it with a small shed for storage. This was the most difficult project, but also the most liberating.

Cultivating Patience Throughout my journey of applying the Tiny Home lifestyle to my own, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on the bigger implications of it all (and the big piles of stuff I got rid of). Everything we buy into is meant to make our lives happier, easier, and more convenient. Appliances, gadgets, you name it. However, they seem to only make us less satisfied, lazy, and impatient. Ever scoff at your smartphone or computer for not being fast enough? I found myself less able to sit and read a book without quickly feeling antsy. I’d hop in the car when I could’ve walked. Not anymore. Essentially, the less “convenience” I own, the happier I am. I notice things more; I’m present. For me, downsizing has cultivated an invaluable sense of mindfulness and patience that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

Follow Sustainable Thought Leaders I have found along with the tips I’ve learned, to look to leaders in sustainable livings for more ways to decrease your carbon footprint and live more sustainably. I look to people like Bea Johnson, who cut waste out of her life complete, or Leonardo Dicaprio who wrote a compelling movie about the effect humans have on the environment. Even Brad Pitt has teamed up with sustainable architect William McDonough to build sustainable homes in New Orleans. Not only is the material motivational, but it is fun learning about some of these celebrities off-camera.

]]>http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/tiny-home-living-without-living-in-a-tiny-home/feed/2http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/tiny-home-living-without-living-in-a-tiny-home/27 Tiny House Living Plans and Guides [OFFER HAS ENDED]http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TinyHouseDesign/~3/HnNZol25SxE/ http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/27-tiny-house-living-plans-and-guides/#commentsTue, 02 Dec 2014 19:15:27 +0000http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/?p=10682A tiny house fellow named Karol Gajda came up with a great idea called the Tiny House Living Bundle. It&#8217;s a collection of items that include 27 Tiny House Living Plans and Guides. The regular retail price for these items is $345.29, but will be just $49 for 5 days! Inside the bundle you’ll find 27 tiny house and simpler living products... <a
class="more-link" href="http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/27-tiny-house-living-plans-and-guides/">Continue reading <span
class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>A tiny house fellow named Karol Gajda came up with a great idea called the Tiny House Living Bundle.

It’s a collection of items that include 27 Tiny House Living Plans and Guides. The regular retail price for these items is $345.29, but will be just $49 for 5 days!

]]>http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/27-tiny-house-living-plans-and-guides/feed/0http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/27-tiny-house-living-plans-and-guides/Tiny House Book Giveaway – 6 Tiny House Books! (Has Ended)http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TinyHouseDesign/~3/Q_hY6s6wex8/ http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/tiny-house-book-giveaway-6-tiny-house-books/#commentsFri, 21 Nov 2014 00:10:05 +0000http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/?p=10669Congratulations Jill P. from Idaho! You name was selected at random as the winner of our Six Tiny House Books Giveaway! I&#8217;ve picked six books to give away. Some are packed with photos &#38; drawings, others packed with real life stories and DIY info. On December 1, 2014 I&#8217;ll randomly select a winner and ship... <a
class="more-link" href="http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/tiny-house-book-giveaway-6-tiny-house-books/">Continue reading <span
class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>

Congratulations Jill P. from Idaho! You name was selected at random as the winner of our Six Tiny House Books Giveaway!

I’ve picked six books to give away. Some are packed with photos & drawings, others packed with real life stories and DIY info. On December 1, 2014 I’ll randomly select a winner and ship these brand new books off to them.

Upon entering you’ll be subscribed to the Tiny House Design & Living email newsletter. We’ll never share your email address, name, etc with anyone; and you can unsubscribe any time. One grand prize winner will be selected. Open to U.S. entries only.

]]>http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/tiny-house-book-giveaway-6-tiny-house-books/feed/21http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/tiny-house-book-giveaway-6-tiny-house-books/How tiny is too tiny? …An Excerpt from Tiny House Decisions [Book Giveaway Has Ended]http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TinyHouseDesign/~3/vdq8JI9G3xI/ http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/how-tiny-is-too-tiny-an-excerpt-from-tiny-house-decisions-book-giveaway/#commentsWed, 19 Nov 2014 14:08:30 +0000http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/?p=10663The following is a guest post by Ethan Waldman and an excerpt from the guide Tiny House Decisions: Everything I Wish I Knew When I Built My Tiny House, by Ethan Waldman. If you are interested in building your own tiny home, this guide will walk you through each and every process, step by step,... <a
class="more-link" href="http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/how-tiny-is-too-tiny-an-excerpt-from-tiny-house-decisions-book-giveaway/">Continue reading <span
class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>The following is a guest post by Ethan Waldman and an excerpt from the guide Tiny House Decisions: Everything I Wish I Knew When I Built My Tiny House, by Ethan Waldman.

If you are interested in building your own tiny home, this guide will walk you through each and every process, step by step, and ultimately help you build the tiny house that’s right for you.

Make sure you read until the end to find out how you can win a copy of Ethan’s new book.

What should the overall size be?

A lot can be said about the overall size of your tiny house. But at the end of the day, it all boils down to this: The smaller it is, the harder it’s going to be to live there. I know, that’s a bold statement, but think of it this way:

When you build a tiny house that you intend to live in, there’s no question that you are going to have to get rid of a lot of stuff. Most or all of your furniture will definitely have to go. Giant wardrobe? Forget it. Large specialized appliances? Find a different home for them.

Regardless of how big or small your tiny house is, you’re going to need to downsize. However, you don’t have to go as micro as possible. You can have a tiny house that’s still livable. A foot or two might not make much difference in a traditional house, but in a tiny house, it can be huge. Having a slightly larger 22-foot tiny house could mean the difference between you being able to have a kitchen sink of a usable size or not. Or it could mean the difference between being able to have a guest sleep in your “great room” or not.

You’re downsizing either way, so why not make your house as livable as possible?

In the end, this is just another one of those trade-offs we talked about back in the Introduction.

Pros of a Bigger Tiny House

The bigger your tiny house is, the more storage space it has.

When it comes to tiny houses, you may be required to put quotes around the word “storage.” However, you’d be amazed at how many creative ways you can sneak storage into a small space.

For instance, my main seating in the tiny house is a long structure that we called “the bench” during construction. Because my house is long, the couch is long — over 8 feet — and big enough for a guest to sleep on. And what’s underneath? “Storage” space! I have baskets with felt pads on the bottoms so they easily slide in and out under the couch.

Here’s another example: I like to cook, so I made storage space and functionality in the kitchen a priority. Despite the fact that I’ve been living in my house for over a year, I still have not filled up all the drawers and cabinets in my kitchen.

Some may consider empty unused space in a tiny house to be a bad thing, but I do not. The process of moving into the house and living there has never really felt limiting to me. I know that my house has room for me to expand into it.

Your house is more “livable.”

My tiny house is definitely on the larger side of the average tiny house on wheels. However, the 21 feet of interior space enabled me to include things like:

a bathroom with a separate shower and toilet (no wet bath)

a double kitchen sink and ample cabinet and counter space

a 3-burner propane range (including an oven)

an 11-foot loft with two closets and room for a queen-size mattress

I’ve seen other tiny houses that include such luxuries as a washer/dryer combo and even a tiny bathtub.

Cons of a Bigger Tiny House

You’ll need a bigger (and more expensive) trailer.

As I said earlier, my trailer was over $4,000. Trailers have weight capacities; most are 7,500 pounds. When you move up to the 10,000-pound capacity trailers, you add at least $1,000 because they require completely different (bigger) axles, more powerful brakes, and a heavier-duty hitch.

It’s more difficult to tow.

Tumbleweed estimates that its 89-square-foot Epu weighs just 4,700 pounds when empty. That is towable by most medium to large pickup trucks and large SUVs. However, a tiny house in my size range weighs close to 10,000 pounds, which is towable by only the largest pickup trucks on the road — trucks which would be highly inefficient and impractical to own.

You’ll spend more on materials.

It takes more materials to build a bigger house, and materials cost money. For instance, consider how many windows you’re going to want. My house has 12 windows. If it were half the size, I could probably have gotten away with four or five windows total.

On the flip side, building a very tiny house — one less than 120 square feet, in my mind — will yield you the opposite of the pro/con list above. Such a house will be easier to tow, need fewer building materials, and require a less expensive trailer. However, you’ll end up with a less “livable” space with less storage.

My Decision

Despite the fact that it is heavy and difficult to tow, I would not make my tiny house any smaller. I’m so happy every time I use the kitchen, and every time I move around the house without bumping into anything. I definitely wouldn’t change that. For me, the trade-offs of a slightly larger tiny house are worth it.

That was one small excerpt from over 180 pages of Tiny House Decisions. Waldman’s guide presents all of the choices you’ll need to make in order to go tiny, along with the pros and cons for each. This is truly a valuable resource!

Enter to Win the Complete Digital Edition

Ethan is giving away one copy of the complete digital edition of Tiny House Decisions to one of our readers. This includes the book, 2 hours of interviews with tiny house experts, and 12 video system tours from Ethan’s tiny house.

To enter the contest simply leave a comment below and tell Ethan why Tiny House Decisions is the perfect resource to help you go tiny. One comment will be chosen by Ethan at random on November 24, 2014.

]]>http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/how-tiny-is-too-tiny-an-excerpt-from-tiny-house-decisions-book-giveaway/feed/315http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/how-tiny-is-too-tiny-an-excerpt-from-tiny-house-decisions-book-giveaway/Simple Luxury in a Tiny Shepherd’s Huthttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TinyHouseDesign/~3/TGh3Fk1-BW4/ http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/simple-luxury-in-a-tiny-shepherds-hut/#commentsTue, 11 Nov 2014 22:32:23 +0000http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/?p=10648This tiny shepherd&#8217;s hut is a vacation rental in the UK, but it&#8217;s filled with ideas for simple luxury. You can learn more about the Bracken Hut at Hesleyside Huts. You can also find it at Canopy &#38; Stars. The images are screen shots from the Canopy &#38; Stars video filmed by Gavin Repton. You can also follow... <a
class="more-link" href="http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/simple-luxury-in-a-tiny-shepherds-hut/">Continue reading <span
class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>This tiny shepherd’s hut is a vacation rental in the UK, but it’s filled with ideas for simple luxury. You can learn more about the Bracken Hut at Hesleyside Huts. You can also find it at Canopy & Stars. The images are screen shots from the Canopy & Stars video filmed by Gavin Repton. You can also follow Hesleyside Huts on Facebook and Twitter.

Inside the hut you’ll find an open space flanked by the kitchen & bath on one side and a lofted nook bed on the other. Under the bed is what looks like a set of rustic cupboards, but upon inspection you’ll see that the doors and drawers hide away a bed, seating, and dining table.

The kitchen is incredibly small but was treated with equal attention to the rest of the hut. The farmhouse sink tucked into the cabinet was an excellent choice. The wood stove probably easily heats the space and provides a needed place for cooking and heating water.

]]>http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/simple-luxury-in-a-tiny-shepherds-hut/feed/1http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/simple-luxury-in-a-tiny-shepherds-hut/5 Tiny House Design Tips (That You Can Use No Matter Where You Live)http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TinyHouseDesign/~3/6jdqDFDxKbE/ http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/5-tiny-house-design-tips-that-you-can-use-no-matter-where-you-live/#commentsThu, 25 Sep 2014 12:08:25 +0000http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/?p=10627This is a guest post from Mariah Coz from COMET Camper. I’m Mariah Coz, and I live in a 100 square foot vintage trailer that I renovated and re-designed. I teach the Tiny Transition and Downsizing E-Course, which is now open for enrollment for the session about to begin on October 5th. I wanted to share some of the... <a
class="more-link" href="http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/5-tiny-house-design-tips-that-you-can-use-no-matter-where-you-live/">Continue reading <span
class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>This is a guest post from Mariah Coz from COMET Camper.

I’m Mariah Coz, and I live in a 100 square foot vintage trailer that I renovated and re-designed. I teach the Tiny Transition and Downsizing E-Course, which is now open for enrollment for the session about to begin on October 5th. I wanted to share some of the things I’ve learned from my experience designing and living in such small spaces!

Whether you live in 10 sq. ft. or 1500 sq. ft., I think it’s a great idea to incorporate “tiny” design features to create more room and less clutter in your space.

My tiny home on wheels, the COMET camper, has some pretty nifty features you might never notice if I didn’t point them out! Everyone who visits my tiny home is surprised at how much function I have in such a small area. I want to show you how I do that.

Today I have 5 tiny house design tips that you can implement no matter where you live!

1. Create a vermi-compost or “Worm-bin” system under a bench for indoor, odorless composting!

Most people living in tiny homes don’t “own” the land they live and park on, and so are limited in their composting options. And if you live in the city or in an urban area, you might not have your own yard to create a big, open compost pile. But that’s what worms are for! In the COMET, I have a vermiculture (composting with worms) set-up underneath the front dinette bench near the door. The worms are red wigglers (I got mine on Amazon) and they are tiny BEASTS let me tell you. They eat ALL of my food scraps, including eggs shells and coffee grounds. The worms live in a “rubbermaid” type bin, you just throw your green and brown scraps in, and they make short work of it. This system is tiny and odorless, perfect for apartments and tiny houses or mobile campers and RVs.

2. Fold-Down desks save on space

I love my little fold-down desk. I made it out of an old hunk of plywood and some vintage Formica tabletop that I salvaged from a table that was mostly damaged but had this one good piece that was stuff re-usable. The fold down desk was really simple to make, just a few hinges and a slide lock to hold it up and out of the way. It’s nice to have the space in the back of the trailer so convertible – it’s a couch/relaxing area, a work area during the day, and when I fold the desk up it becomes my bed area at night. It’s only big enough to fit my laptop, but that’s all I need in a desk at the moment!

3. Use the vertical wall space

My kitchen counter is about 2 sq. ft. total, when you take out the space for the sink and cooktop (that’s why I added a fold-up counter extension for when I need it!). In order to keep the counter clear, I use all of the vertical space around the kitchen area for storing kitchen items such as spatulas, soap, sponges, and more. I got a few small things from ikea that help me keep everything organized in the tiny kitchen. I recommend getting lots of hooks and small shelves, and getting as much stuff OFF of horizontal spaces as possible. It makes the whole place feel much bigger, and there’s no clutter on the tables, counters, etc.

4. Your spaces should serve multiple purposes.

“Multi-function” or “stacking functions” is a term I use a lot in reference to permaculture, but it applies so perfectly to small space design. I have a few examples of this in action in the COMET camper. The back area, which is my couch and convertible workspace/desk area during the day, is also my bed at night when it folds down. That same area of maybe 15 sq. ft. total is my living room, home office, and bedroom. And in the front of the camper, the dinette (kitchen table) doubles as a “guest” bed when folded down. Technically my camper could sleep 6 people, but we’ve never tried that!

5. The less crap you have, the easier it is to design your space.

This is where the downsizing comes in. The honest truth is that it’s much easier to design your living space when you have less crap, and hold onto just a few things that you totally love. Giving your beloved items the space they need to shine is what this whole tiny house thing is all about! You don’t need to be a complete minimalist either, I’m certainly not. I love tchotchke’s and weird knick knacks, so I have a small shelf devoted to those things. Once you downsize your stuff, you’ll see how everything falls into place around it in your tiny house.

If you need help, support, and the motivation to start downsizing in preparation for a smaller life, the Tiny Transition and Downsizing E-Course can kick-start you into gear. When you join the class, you get 8 weeks of downsizing bootcamp (lessons, tasks, challenges, reading and writing prompts) and lifetime access to the private class-only forum, so you can meet and connect with others on the same journey as you.

The class will not only get your house, mind, and life decluttered and cleared out, but it will help you change your relationship with stuff. If you feel like your stuff owns you instead of the other way around, I hope you’ll join us in the next session of Tiny Transition + Downsizing, which begins on October 5th 2014. You can find out more and register here.

]]>http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/5-tiny-house-design-tips-that-you-can-use-no-matter-where-you-live/feed/5http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/5-tiny-house-design-tips-that-you-can-use-no-matter-where-you-live/Extreme Downsizing: Four months, Two people, and 35 square feethttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TinyHouseDesign/~3/9ZoRFfZLlOs/ http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/extreme-downsizing-months-people-35-square-feet/#commentsMon, 04 Aug 2014 19:00:40 +0000http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/?p=10601The following is a guest post by Mariah Coz of www.cometcamper.com. As we get ready for the next session of the Tiny Transition and Downsizing E-Course, which begins on August 10th, I thought I’d talk a little bit about my own recent re-simplification and downsizing efforts (let’s call it Round 2). It is by no... <a
class="more-link" href="http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/extreme-downsizing-months-people-35-square-feet/">Continue reading <span
class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>The following is a guest post by Mariah Coz of www.cometcamper.com.

As we get ready for the next session of the Tiny Transition and Downsizing E-Course, which begins on August 10th, I thought I’d talk a little bit about my own recent re-simplification and downsizing efforts (let’s call it Round 2). It is by no means the right thing for everyone to live in a super tiny space, and I don’t see myself living so ridiculously tiny forever, but I wanted to share my experience preparing to live in 35 square feet, with another person!

Most people would think that 100 square feet of living space would be tiny enough. But after a year of living in the COMET camper, my tiny mobile home on wheels, my partner and I decided that the camper just wasn’t mobile enough, and had more space than we needed. Sure, it’s a fantastic home-base. It’s always there when we need it. But truth be told, it’s an expensive pain in the ass to tow, and I want to ROAM. I thought trailers were the height of mobility and flexibility when I decided to renovate my COMET camper. I love my little vintage home on wheels, don’t get me wrong, but it wasn’t the right nomadic space to take me across the country for a number of months.

So after spending a few years downsizing all of my stuff to be able to fit into the COMET, I downsized again into my custom-converted Honda Element-turned-micro camper. It took a lot of planning and a lot of weeding through stuff. I had to really assess what I needed vs. what I wanted. I had to learn what items and things increased my comfort exponentially and which ones didn’t. I practiced living out of a backpack and cooking with just one bowl, a water bottle, and a camp stove for a month before we left for California in our tiniest home on wheels.

It was definitely a challenge. Even for someone like me, the transition from 100 sq. ft. to 35 sq. ft. (where I could really only have one single bag, since most of the car’s storage was occupied by our camera equipment and camping gear), was really tough. I had to slowly whittle down my bag a little bit every day before our take-off until I felt like I could be comfortable with so few things. My partner Matt helped me too, which led to a few fights but was ultimately really helpful.

One of the things I thought about the most was what types of clothes would be best to live in. I could only bring a few outfits, and considering I run a vintage clothing store for a living that is a tall order for a girl like me! I ended up bringing mostly wool items (merino tank tops, wool sweaters, and wool tights) because the material is naturally anti-bacterial, anti-odor, and self-cleaning. Perfect for living out of a car with limited access to laundry! In the end, I STILL brought too many clothing items and realized I could have lived without a lot more.

And that has been my experience with everything related to living in a tiny car – you realize how little you really need. We ended up using far less cooking stuff, camping stuff, and “worst case scenario” type stuff than we anticipated. Next time we live in our car for 6 months, we’ll probably only take 50% of the stuff we took last time. You just realize how much easier and simpler life is with less stuff. Having more crap to keep track of and organize in such a tiny space just makes your life more stressful.

Having experienced traveling both in the COMET Camper trailer and the Honda Element, I can definitely say I prefer the ease of waking up, pushing the bed back, and just GOING when we live in the Honda Element. The trailer requires about an hour of set up and break down whenever you stop at a new place, and that can get old.

You are probably wondering how two people in a relationship got along living in 35 sq. ft. for 4 months. In our experience, it wasn’t that we ever wanted time away from each other, but that we desperately wanted time for the two of us to just be alone, without constantly being around other people. The thing about living in your car or van is that privacy is a joke. You have virtually none, unless you are in the woods. That was my only complaint – not that we needed more space or that I wish I had more stuff, but that I wished we’d had more time to ourselves without the worry of someone knocking on the windows of our teeny tiny mobile abode.

Having downsized twice in such an extreme way, I learned a lot about why people think they need to hold onto things, how to really let go of those things you don’t love or need, and how to be happy both mentally and physically in a smaller space. In the Tiny Transition and Downsizing E-Course, you’ll learn about the psychology of stuff, how to de-clutter both your mental and physical space, and new techniques for keeping crap out of your life for good. The best part though, according to past members, is the private class forum. You’ll have access to everyone in the course so that you can connect with like-minded people, make new friends, share your successes, and get support and motivation throughout the entire process.

Some people take the Tiny Transition E-Course in order to prep for tiny house living, while others end up transitioning into the full-time RV or travel trailer lifestyle. Others just want to regain some sanity in their lives and less clutter and crap in their homes. Whatever simple life you’re looking for, I hope you’ll come and join me and the other classmates in the course. I look forward to supporting you in your journey, talking tiny in the group, and helping you create a simpler, happier life!

If you’re wondering what others have gotten out of taking the class, I’ll let them explain:

“This class has single-handedly changed my thinking and life. The email course is rocking my world with the “how” to do this, the access to the associated Google group is invaluable. You could lurk and never post with this group and it’ll change your thinking and life. Even if you just want to tread more softly on this beautiful jewel of a planet we live on, you will benefit from this course. I’ve found my true fun self since I’ve been taking this course. My stuff was burying my life, and I had no idea that I’d done that to myself. The e-course, the readings, and the Google Group together make for a powerful inspiration to keep going. The class is already paid for itself in less stress, less stuff, and heck, I’ve even lost weight! All because I’m realizing that I just don’t NEED a lot of things. While we may or may not move into an actual Tiny House, our house of 1,100 square feet is starting to look huge. We have SO MUCH SPACE NOW! I’m looking forward to a smaller house (and a smaller or NONEXISTENT mortgage soon). ” – Andrea

“This class is changing my entire life. For the good, too. So glad I made the decision to spend the money to take this course!” — Becky R.

“I am so glad I ran across the Tiny Transition e-course. I have made such progress, and peace has come into my life that wasn’t there this time last year, I am very grateful.” — Troy

“Thank you, Mariah, for one of the best experiences of a lifetime!” — L.

The next session of Tiny Transition begins on August 10th, so sign up now to save your spot. I hope to see you there!

]]>http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/extreme-downsizing-months-people-35-square-feet/feed/3http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/extreme-downsizing-months-people-35-square-feet/La Chanchita – Off-Grid Adventure Bushttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TinyHouseDesign/~3/dGvz8BmCzeg/ http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/la-chanchita-off-grid-adventure-bus/#commentsSun, 03 Aug 2014 22:35:09 +0000http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/?p=10567The following is a guest post from Manu at La Chanchita. La Chanchita is a 1966, 911 Mercedes-Benz bus. It used to be a city bus in Buenos Aires in the sixty&#8217;s before they converted it into a truck. We bought it last year to give her a third life as a motorhome! It took... <a
class="more-link" href="http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/la-chanchita-off-grid-adventure-bus/">Continue reading <span
class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>The following is a guest post from Manu at La Chanchita.

La Chanchita is a 1966, 911 Mercedes-Benz bus. It used to be a city bus in Buenos Aires in the sixty’s before they converted it into a truck. We bought it last year to give her a third life as a motorhome!

It took us 9 months to do the conversion. We had the chance to use a carpinter shop at home so we could build it in wood the way we wanted.

The plan is to use the bus to bring people, mainly adventurers and extreme sports lovers, to discover South America. We wanted it to be totally autonomous, with a good insulation.

We are Freeskiers and travel a lot during the winter, that’s why we decided to install a wood stove which guarantees a warm and dry interior with a lower cost and definitly more comfort than any other heating system.

We decided to put 12v LEDs for illumination so we have very low consumption and don’t need to be plugged in on 220v. We also have a 12v to 220v converter in case we need to plug in phones or computers.

We also installed 2 water tanks. A 350L tank outside under the bus and a 150L inside. So we can switch from the outside tank to the inside tank when temperatures go down to be sure the water will never get frozen.

All the mechanics have been changed for a 1114 Mercedes-Benz engine with a truck differential with high and low gear so we can climb up in the Cordillera de los Andes easily.

About the Project

South America offers endless possibilities for extreme sports, travelling, photography and filming lovers. But most of the spots and ski resorts in the Andes are not always easy to access. As opposed to Europe or North America, transportation is not always well organized and some stations offer no tourist accommodation or transport service. That is why we decided to convert a bus into a comfortable motorhome.

With all services on board (Sleep 6, water, electricity, shower, toilet , wood stove) the Chanchita bus is completely autonomous and gives you the opportunity to be in the right place at the right time. It gives you the chance to always have first tracks!

]]>http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/la-chanchita-off-grid-adventure-bus/feed/2http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/la-chanchita-off-grid-adventure-bus/Tiny Houses Bringing Economic Freedomhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TinyHouseDesign/~3/aiSWYkIWu8E/ http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/tiny-houses-bringing-economic-freedom/#commentsWed, 09 Jul 2014 23:04:33 +0000http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/?p=10560Aldo Lavaggi said extreme downsizing was &#8220;an experiment in voluntary simplicity,&#8221; for him. He built his 105-square-foot timber house on a friend&#8217;s farmland in New York&#8217;s Hudson Valley and has lived in it since August 2012.&#8221; &#8211; Nina Glinski/Bloomberg Read the whole story about Tiny Houses Big With U.S. Owners Seeking Economic Freedom at Bloomberg.

Aldo Lavaggi said extreme downsizing was “an experiment in voluntary simplicity,” for him. He built his 105-square-foot timber house on a friend’s farmland in New York’s Hudson Valley and has lived in it since August 2012.” – Nina Glinski/Bloomberg

]]>http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/tiny-houses-bringing-economic-freedom/feed/1http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/tiny-houses-bringing-economic-freedom/Single Mom Builds Off-Grid Lakeside Cabin Near Columbus, Ohiohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TinyHouseDesign/~3/YSYD3Rxsaag/ http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/single-mom-builds-off-grid-lakeside-cabin-columbus-ohio/#commentsSun, 29 Jun 2014 00:45:04 +0000http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/?p=10544The following is a guest post from Kelley. Thanks again for sharing your story Kelley! We&#8217;ve been building a 192 sq ft cabin with a sleeping loft and front and back porch right on our lake shore.Our cabin sits on the shore line of a small lake in the woods just west outside if Columbus,... <a
class="more-link" href="http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/single-mom-builds-off-grid-lakeside-cabin-columbus-ohio/">Continue reading <span
class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>The following is a guest post from Kelley. Thanks again for sharing your story Kelley!

We’ve been building a 192 sq ft cabin with a sleeping loft and front and back porch right on our lake shore.

Our cabin sits on the shore line of a small lake in the woods just west outside if Columbus, Ohio. The building is 16’x12′ with 16′ ceilings, a 4′ front porch and 8′ back porch that overlooks the lake. The sleeping loft is 12’x8′ and has 2 full sized beds. The downstairs is complete with an open great room, kitchen with bar, and bathroom with a sink, standup shower, and composting toilet.

I am building this cabin myself with help from friends and we are slowly but surely making progress! Our cabin is off grid and powered by a gas generator and will have a water pump and filtration system with water being pulled from the lake. We also have a woodburning stove and are building a stone hearth, of course complete with a small flatscreen TV that hangs above the stove.

All of our windows and a lot of our building supplies have come from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, as well as Craigslist! I am a single mom of 3 young children and we are building this together as a family while I am teaching my children what it means to work for something and then be able to enjoy your hard work when it’s completed. This project is a labor of love and serves as a getaway from busy city life and a place where we can just focus on being a family and enjoy what life is all about; complete with fishing off of our back porch!

We will utilize this cabin as a weekend getaway, which in turn has already made us appreciate our small home in Columbus, a home we were feeling was too small, but is greatly larger than our 192 sq ft cabin! Our 1,100 sq ft Columbus home is definitely more than enough and I even go as far as to say I think our 192 sq ft cabin feels even larger!

We are a “go-get-her” kinda family. Working hard together and inviting neighbors over along the way and throughout the process. Building small houses becomes a community event and that’s my favorite part about it!

I started this project when I became a single mom of 3; to give my 3 children and I an opportunity to begin starting over and moving forward. Throughout this process, we have more than moved forward, we have grown closer as a now family of 4 and have empowered ourselves by learning how to do things we never thought we could ever do, such as my 6 year old can help frame walls, my 3 year old can help paint, and my 2 year old loves to help clean.

Me, well I’m learning being a single parent doesn’t limit me and my abilities AND I can build a cabin! I am creating a very special space for my family and I, a space we built together, created so many memories together, and will have around to enjoy as a family for years to come.